Ahead of the 2002 assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, Congress had unveiled 10 poll guarantees in Shimla on August 31, 2022. Marking four years since that announcement, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Sudhir Sharma has unleashed a sharp critique against the state government. Mocking the unfulfilled promises, Sharma labeled the Congress guarantees as a traditional memorial ritual or shraddha of the guarantees. He asserted that despite making grand promises before and after capturing power, the majority of these guarantees remain completely invisible on the ground even after four years.
Looking Back at the 2022 Guarantees
Interacting informally with journalists inside the assembly complex, Sharma recalled that the 10 guarantees of Congress were officially announced in Shimla by then Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on August 31, 2022. He stated that four years have passed since those promises were made, and the ruling party must now clarify how many of those guarantees have actually been fulfilled. Highlighting the employment crisis, Sharma reminded that the government had promised one lakh government jobs in its very first cabinet meeting, but the youth have not received employment in that proportion. He accused the administration of betraying the youth.
Raising Questions on Outsourcing and Salaries
The BJP MLA also pressed the government for answers regarding outsourcing recruitments across various departments. He questioned how many outsourcing companies are currently operating in the state and under whose names they are registered, pointing out that clear answers to these assembly questions are consistently avoided. Sharma further highlighted stark discrepancies in the salaries of outsourced personnel. He claimed that Him Care facilitators are deployed at a monthly salary of roughly 90 thousand rupees in PGI, whereas doctors are being recruited on an outsourced basis for a salary of around 34 thousand rupees. He alleged that the administration is withholding essential information both inside and outside the house.
Grievances Over Unanswered Assembly Questions
Sharma alleged that his questions raised in the legislative assembly are routinely ignored or left unanswered. He noted that questions are often deleted or dismissed with the standard reply that information is currently being gathered. He expressed dismay that details easily accessible through the Right to Information Act are deliberately kept away from the assembly floor.
Sarcasm Over the Nano Urea Controversy
Addressing the controversy surrounding nano urea in the assembly, Sharma took a swipe at the administration. He noted that allegations were made inside the house claiming horticulturists were being forced to accept nano urea, whereas the government later clarified that no such notification had been issued by the centre. He argued that if there is confusion regarding who is instructing orchard owners to take nano urea, a thorough investigation is warranted. Taking a sarcastic jibe, he remarked that since the government possesses special expertise in forming SITs, it should constitute a special investigation team for this matter as well.
Targeting Congress Protests
Sharma also criticized the ruling party over its demonstrations protesting the FIR against Rahul Gandhi. He remarked that Congress lacks the natural habit of staging protests from the opposition benches, and by demonstrating outside the assembly while in power, the administration has started practicing sitting in the opposition a year in advance. Taking a final jibe, he added that occupying opposition benches requires elected MLAs, but the public will soon ensure that Congress is left with no legislators even worth sitting in the opposition. Notably, Sharma had originally contested and won the 2022 election on a Congress ticket, but later switched to the BJP following political friction with the Chief Minister.
